Ex-Arsenal forward Alan Smith says that England's staff are encouraging Jack Wilshere to become more penetrative with his passing.

The Gunners midfielder has been guilty of seeing the game passing him by too regularly, at international and club level, but the Three Lions are trying to help him become a more positive influence.

Given a crucial role at the base of England's diamond, Wilshere was the star performer during the Three Lions' two European Championship qualification games this week and Smith believes that the work that he is putting in on the training ground is helping.

"Having spoken to some of the England coaching staff, they’re trying to get him to look beyond that 10 yards that he quite often plays in for Arsenal, where he’s playing little one-twos and going past people," he said to Sky Sports.

“But he’s raising his head now and looking for those runs of Wayne Rooney, and they’re on the same wavelength so it’s great for Rooney. For Wilshere, fitness helps and he’s had a run of games for club of country, he’s looking really sharp.”

At 22, the pressure is starting to build on Wilshere to live up to his potential which he showed as a teenager.

Wilshere burst onto the scene at Arsenal as a creative figure, but he hasn't progressed as many would have hoped and he is still trying to find out his role in a team.

Although he has been given a number of chances at Arsenal and in an England shirt he is yet to fully repay the faith either have shown in him.

However, his displays this week, albeit against San Marino and Estonia, should have gone some way to showing why managers have peservered with him.

Wilshere has helped England take a commanding position in their qualifying group and they will be looking to build on this encouraging start in the next international break.

John Verrall

John is a sports journalism graduate from Staffordshire University. He is a huge football fan and a minute-by-minute writer for UEFA.com, as well as being a freelance writer for Sports New Media. John has also seen his work been published by the likes of The Guardian, World Soccer and Shoot Magazine over the course of his bourgeoning journalism career so far. He has a particular expertise in all things to do with the Football League – and is a passionate Peterborough United fan.